The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Second Lieutenant Alec J. Bodenweiser (MCSN: 0-103347), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action while serving as a Platoon Commander, Company E, Second Battalion, Twenty-Sixth Marines, THIRD Marine Division, in connection with combat operations against the enemy in the Republic of Vietnam. During the early morning hours of 5 February 1968, Company E was occupying a defensive position on Hill 861-A near the Khe Sanh Combat Base when the company came under a fierce coordinated attack by a reinforced North Vietnamese Army battalion supported by heavy artillery and mortar fire. Captain Bodenweiser, than a Second Lieutenant, acting as Company Executive Officer, was assigned to coordinate the second and third platoons in defense of the western, southern and eastern portions of the perimeter. When North Vietnamese sappers breached the defensive wire as a part of a two-pronged attack to overrun Hill 861-A with a heavy volume of fire from automatic weapons, RPG rockets, and grenades, Captain Bodenweiser immediately re-deployed his Marines and effectively halted the advancing enemy inside the perimeter. Captain Bodenweiser completely disrupted the enveloping attack of a numerically superior enemy force and forced the North Vietnamese to abandon their attempt to envelope E Company, significantly contributing to the accomplishment of his unit’s mission. Captain Bodenweiser’s heroic initiative and outstanding leadership reflected great credit upon him and were in keeping with the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and the United States Naval Service.